JEDDAH — Long jumper Mohammad Al-Khuwaildi and the 4 X 400 relay team came up with gold medal-winning performances for Saudi Arabia in the 3rd Asian Indoor Athletics Championships at the Aspire Academy in Doha, Qatar, which ended on Saturday.
The Kingdom team, who returned home yesterday, won their third medal courtesy of Hussain Al-Saba who grabbed the bronze in the men’s long jump.
Al-Khuwaildi, champion in the 11th Pan Arab Games in Egypt, supplanted his old personal best in the event with a leap over a distance of 8.24 meters. Kuwaiti Salih Al-Haddadi came second at 7.88 meters, and Al-Khuwaildi’s teammate Al-Saba notched an effort of 7.72 meters in the third position.
Al-Khuwaildi, who set a new Asian indoor record, said the competition was tough especially with Al-Haddadi catching up but the atmosphere was very helpful and he thanked God for the result. On his first attempt Al-Khuwaildi posted 7.81 meters to lead the way. He improved this effort on this third attempt with 8.22 meters, passed up his fourth try to take a rest on the coach’s advice then went all out to score the winning and record-setting effort.
Al-Khuwaildi now sets his sights on the 12th IAAF World Indoor Championship March 7-9 in Valencia, where he is looking forward to make a good show.
The Saudi quartet of Younis Al-Housah, Ali Al-Deraan, Ismail Al-Sibyani, and Edrees Hawasawi clocked 3 minutes and 14.25 seconds in winning the 4 X 400 gold medal.
The lead runner, Al-Housah, opened a lead of about 10 meters from his nearest pursuers. Al-Deraan then sustained the hot start and even increased the lead by 15 meters. Al-Sibyani and anchorman Hawasawi ran the last two legs as Saudi Arabia finished well in front of India who placed second in 3:16.53. Qatar came third clocking 3:17.93.
The victory upheld the Kingdom’s domination of the event the past six years on the Gulf, Arab and Asian levels.
The athletes dedicated their victory to the president of the Saudi Athletics Federation Prince Nawwaf ibn Mohammed.
Fifteen athletes represented Saudi Arabia in the three-day event. They were Yaser Al-Nashri (60 meters), Younis Al-Housah (400m, 4x400), Sami Al-Yamdar (60m hurdles), Ahmad Al-Muwllad (60m hurdles), Duaij Al-Saqai (pole vault), Hashem Iqeebi (high jump), Jameel Fakhri (high jump, triple jump), Mohammad Al-Khuwaildi (long jump), Hussain Al-Saba (long jump), Sultan Al-Beshi (shot put), Ismail Al-Sibyani, Ali Al-Deraan, Hamad Al-Beshi, Adel Al-Nasser, and Edrees Hawasawi (4x400 meters relay).
The other teams that sent entries were Bahrain, Chinese Taipei, East Timor, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, China, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, UAE, Uzbekistan and hosts Qatar.
